About Maa Ambika, Baripada in Baripada, Baripada

MAA’s Mantra:

OMM NAMO SHAILAPUTRI DAITYA DARPA VINASHINI
AVAYA VARADE MATA PUJA GHRUHANA SURESHWARI !!

Omm Namo Shailaputri Daitya Darpa Vinashini
Avaya Varade Mata Puja Ghruhana Sureshwari !!

Overview:

The Ambika temple, Baripada is an ancient temple and the Bijesthali of the presiding deity not only for the people of Baripada but also for the people of the whole Mayurbhanj district as well as devotees from the neighboring states like Jharkhand and West Bengal.
The temple is situated at the heart of the Baripada town.
People of Baripada strongly believe her as ‘The Living Goddess’, who as a mother showers her blessings to all the mankind.

MAA’s Idol:

The deity’s idol is made of fine marble stone which is ancient. The idol has four hands also known as “Chaturbhuja”.
Maa Ambika is sitting on a lion and in her four hands, she is holding Dambaru, Khadga, Kharpara and Trisula .
It’s also a famous belief among the devotees that though the mother is holding arms in her hand to fight with all the odds and save the mankind, her face is so calm, cool and glows vibrantly. As if mother is always looking at her children with a motherly affection. Whoever visit her in the temple and ask her blessings while looking at her, feels the divine touch.
In her temple Maa Ambika is surrounded by other deities like Adyapujya Vignaraj Ganesha, Parama yogi Ambikeswar mahadev, Sankatamochana Panchamukhi Hanuman, Graha dosa nibaraka naba graha, Mangalamayi maa mangala, Shri chandika and maha sasthi etc.

History:

Though the exact time and history of MAA’s emergence is not clear, however in the gazetteer and surveys on temple restructure and reform, viz. archeological surveys of mayurbhanj (1911) edited by notable archeologist of India, Late N.N. Basu and District gazetteer of mayurbhanj complied by eminent bureaucrat late Nilamani Senapati, it is mentioned that in the middle of the then baripada town, known as bagasamal gardh, there was a very small pitha (bijesthali) of Maa Ambika unattended and in a meager condition.
A temple for MAA was built at that time. The deity has no other immovable properties and assets except the bijesthali land.
From the Lagraj case #108, this information comes into picture that the then ruler of Mayurbhanj, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Bhanja, when got seriously ill by the incurable small pox disease at that time, he seeks the blessings of Maa Ambika to cure him from this deadly disease and for the seva puja of Maa, he has fixed Rs. 36/- per year, the revenue generated from Tilagadia Mauza in Kuliana gram in the last part of year1800.
The present main temple is constructed by the then renowned Gujrati Contractor Late Walji Gobind. When his only son was seriously ill by the then incurable smallpox, he worshiped MAA and prayed her to cure his son and after his son got cured from this deadly due to MAA’s blessings, he re built this temple for Maa in 1920. In the due course of time, the current structure got extended and the temples for other deities inside the premises constructed with the help and donations of the devotees of MAA.

Dainik Puja Vidhi Of MAA:

The daily seva puja of MAA starts in early morning and performed in holiness and in a whole hearted manner by MAA’s priests with the sacred sound of sankha, ghanta and mrudanga played by the devotees.
In the special festive days, “Sodhasa Upachara” puja, “Chandi”, “Homa” etc. are performed in tantric as well as in Vaidik way as per the devotees’ requests and with their cooperation.

MAA’s Aarati:

In the evening, the seva puja starts from MAA’s Aarati, performed by the priests, which is so heavenly and mind pleasing that, can’t be narrated in words and can be feel by physical attendance only.
Soon after the completion of the Aarati, starts the sankirtana by the devotees in a well composed manner that whoever listens it, start to chorus with a divine feeling.

Special festivities at MAA’s Temple:

The special festivals organized and performed at MAA’s temple are the annual ‘Durga Puja’ and ‘Basanti Puja’as well as ‘Pana Sankranti’, ‘Rojo Sankranti’, ‘Makara Sankranti’.
Saradiya Durga Puja, as known as ‘Durga Puja’ in general and one of the main festivals of MAA, performed with ‘Sodosha Upachara’, ‘Chandi’ patha and ‘Homa’ yagyan on the days of ‘MahaSaptami’, ‘MahaAstami’, ‘MahaNavmi’ and on ‘Dasahara’ the special puja completion has been done in the traditional way with the “Purnahuti”.
Similarly, at the time of Basantakalin Durga Puja, popularly known as ‘Basanti Puja’ the same ‘Sodosha Uapchar’ puja vidihi is adopted on ‘Basantika Saptami’, ‘Ashoka Asatami’, ‘Rama Navami’and ’Purnahuti’ is given on the ‘Dasahara’ which completes this special puja ritual.
Maa’s connection with the Baripada Jagannath Temple:
In many rituals performed in Baripada’s Jagannath temple, MAA’s presence and importance can be felt.
On the day of ‘Sunia’ in ‘Indra Dhwaja’ puja(a festival performed in Jagannath temple to please the god of rain, Indra), Maa Ambika’s pujaka along with MAA’s ‘Aagyanmala’ and ‘Khadga’ go around the ‘Dhwaja’and starts ritual after which only the puja starts.
Similarly, in the famous festival of Ratha Yatra, MAA’s puja possess a lot if significance and importance.
On the starting day of Ratha Yatra, before the ‘Pahandi Bije’ of the three sibling deities to their chariots, Maa’s Pujaka comes with ‘Aagnyamala and ‘Khadga’ and perform the puja rituals which is known as ‘Ratha Prathistha’. This special tradition seen only in baripda’s ratha yatra is given equal importance like the ‘Chera Pahanra’ vidhi performed in Puri Ratha Yatra.
It is believed that in this way MAA is assuring the protection of the Rathas, the Ratha yatra as well as the devotees from all the unforeseen evil.
Significance with the world famous CHAU and BHAKTA Parba:
The artists of the world famous ‘Chau’ perform the traditional Nisha Ghata Puja in the last two nights of Chaitra in the temple in front of the goddess.
Similarly the first puja of Bhakta Praba in Chirta month starts from MAA’s temple and performed seven days in a row.

As a whole:

The premises of the temple, blessed with the medicinal trees like Bael (Bilwa)tree, Peepal (Aswastha) tree, Neem (Nimba)tree and Tamarind (Tentuli) tree. Its surroundings are so tidy and clean, which makes it’s atmosphere cool and in terms brings heavenly peace. And its possible because of the daily ‘karaseva’ performed by the devotees self willingly, which is comparable with the ‘karaseva’ of Amritsar’s ‘Swarna Temple’.
The day to day seva puja activities, development and various festivities are performed and managed in a well organized way by the hereditary trusties with the help and cooperation of the devotees.